Attachment for adjusting the pitch of wind musical instruments



R. PINNAVAIA. ATTACHMENT FOR ADJUSTING THE FITCH 0F WIND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS. I

APNIC/mon min fzs. 2a. 192|.

l 1,415,051. Patented May 9119221 UNITED STATI-:s

v RAFFAELE PINNAVAJ, OFVBAUFFALO, NEW YORK.

ATTACHMENT ron ADJUSTING THE` :FITCH orl WIND MUSICAL ,INsTmMENTsl ment of this character which'isself-con tained and which is capable of being adjusted while in position on the instrument to which it is applied.

A further object of the invention is to provide a pitch adjuster `which is simple in'construction and `which is easilyadjustable, to effect a change of pitch in a minimum period of time.

In thel accompanying drawings: f

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a cornet equipped with my improvement. Figure 2 is a sectional elevation of the attachment, on an enlarged scale. Figure 3 is a vertical section on line Fig. 2. Figures Je and 5 are horizontal sections on the correspondingly numbered lines in Fig. 3. Figure 6 is a perspective view of a reed mouthpiece shown as applied to my improved pitch adjusting attachment. v

Similar characters of reference indicate vcorresponding parts throughout the several views.

By way of example, the improvement is shown as applied to a cornet 10 of ordinary construction, although it is to be understood that-the same is` applicableA to various other wind instruments; for instance, trombones, bassoons, French horns, saxophones, &c.

The pitch adjusting attachment 11 is removably attached at its lower end to the stem 12 of the instrument while its upper end carries the usual mouthpiece 13. VThe attachment preferably comprises inner and outer telescopic members 1414 and 15, respectively, both members being of tubular form `and of substantially the same length. The inner member is movable lengthwise relatively to the outer memberand carries the mouthpiece of the instrument, while the outer member is stationary and is held fric- -Specication of Letters Patent.` p Patented May 9, 1922". Application lred February 28, 1921. Serial No. 448,332.

A tionally, or otherwise, in the stem of the instrument. Aly raising and loweringjthe inner member relatively to the outer/member the pitchofthe'instrument is'varied accordingly. The means for effecting this relative adjustment of the telescopic members are preferably constructed as follows:

The inner member'lt is provided throughout its length with an external screw thread 16, the external diameter of said inner membery being-somewhat less than the internal diameterY ci' the outer member 15, so as to permit the. inner member to move freely within said outer member. Rotatably mounted at the upper end of the latter and co-operating with `the threaded inner member to raise and lower the same relatively` thereto is a sleeve or turning head 17 of hollow cylindrical form provided in :its upper portion with al nut 18 secured thereto by a pressed lit or any other appropriate manner. The lower end of this turning head is provided with an annular internal lange`19 which engages or interlocks with a corresponding` external Hang-e 2O at the upper end of the outer telescopic member 15 while the nut 18 isarranged above the flange 20. By -this construction, said turning head is held against longitudinal displacement by reason o1'.t its flange 19 engag-ing the undersideV of the flange 20 and its nut 18 engaging the upper side of said last-named flange. In. order to permit the turning head to rotate freely on said outer vtelescopic member, a slight clearance is provided between the engaging parts.

To prevent rotation of the inner telescopic member 14 when the turning head 17 is rotated and yet permit its longitudinal movement relatively to itsk companion outer member, the latter is provided adjacent `its upper end with an inwardly projecting key or pin 21 which engages a corresponding longitudinal-keyway 22 rin said inner member', as shown in Figs. 3 and Ll. Thiskeyway eX- vtends 'from the extreme upper end of the inner member'to a point above the lower end thereof, so as to form a stop-shoulder 23 and thereby prevent the complete withdrawal of the inner member from the outer member during the adjusting operation. In assembling the two members 141, 15, the inner member is inserted through the lower end of the outer member, and to facilitate the registering of the keyway 22 with its key, a gage mark 24; is provided at the lower end of the outer member which is in alinement With said key.

One side of the movable telescopic member is flattened as shown at 25 in Figs. 2 and 4., and is provided thereon with a pitch scale 26, the graduations of which are adapted to be brought into alinement with the upper edge of the turning head 17 for Kthe particular pitch desired. ln the drawings7 the attachment is shown as adjusted to the pitch corresponding to I on the scale, as clearly shown in F ig. 2.

In Fig. 6 is shown a double-reetL mouthpiece 27 connected to the improved attachment and illustrating another form oll its application.

In the use of this pitch adjusting attachment, the same is substituted 'for the tube or conduit usually connected to the stem olf the instrument 'for obtaining the desired pitch, a different length oi tribe being usually employed for a. predetermined pitch. When once applied to an instrument, this attachment is in position to be adjusted to any f' pitch desired by simply rotating the turning head 17 in one direction or the other to eilect a corresponding longitudinal movement ot' the inner telescopic member 'i4 relatively to the outer telescopic member 'l5 and thereby shorten or lengthen the une to obtain `the desired pitch.

lhile a'lording a simple means ot adjusting the pitch of an instrument to suit various requirements7 this attachment is a selcontained unit applicable to any Wind instrument of the character described without altering its construction. Furthermore, it eliminates the use of substitute parts which were heretofore employed for changing the pitch ot such instruments.

claim as my invention:

l. An attachment or adjusting the pitch of wind musical instruments comprising inner and outer' tubular telescopic members, the outer member being adapted it'or engagement with the stem oi the instrument and provided at its front end with an external annular flange and the inner member being movable relatively to said outer member and having an external screw thread., a nut engaging with the :front side of said flange and having its thread engaging with the thread o'l, said inner member7 a tubular head engaging with the periphery ot said nut and extending along the periphery of said cxternal flange and provided with an internal flange at its rear end which engages with the rear side of said external l'lange.

2. An attachment ior adjusting the pitch ot wind musical instruments comprising inner and outer telescopic members7 the outer member being adapted for engagement with the stem oi the instrument and the inner member being adapted to receive the mouthpiece oit the instrument, and means carried by said outer member or moving the inner member lengthwise relatively thereto, said inner member being provided with a longitudinally Hattenedarea which is provided with a longitudinal pitch scale.

RAFFAELE PlNNAVAJA. 

